Cover extension for electrical panel

Abstract

A cover extension can be installed above or below a wall-mounted electrical panel (e.g., a circuit breaker panel) to cover an opening in the wall immediately above or below the panel. The cover extension includes a panel member, a bottom flange, and two top couplings and stop members. The flange extends downwards from the panel member bottom and is offset from the panel member so that it can fit behind the panel cover of the electrical panel to secure the cover extension bottom to the panel cover. The mechanical stops (e.g., brackets) are located on the panel member rear face and configured to each cause the respective coupling member on the panel member rear face to engage the cover extension to secure the cover extension top to the wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cover extension for an electrical panel including an electrical box and a panel cover, the cover extension for covering an opening in of a wall immediately above or below the electrical panel, the cover extension comprising:
 a panel member having opposite first and second edges and having a front face and a rear face; 
 a flange that extends away from the second edge of the panel member and is configured to fit behind and be engaged by the panel cover so that the panel cover secures the second edge of the panel member in place; 
 at least one mechanical stop extending from the rear face of the panel member and defining at least one stop surface; and 
 
       at least one flip tab extending from the rear face of the panel member and swively coupled to the panel member, wherein the flip tab is rotatable between an unengaged position not extending beyond the first edge of the panel member and an engaged position extending beyond the first edge of the panel member, wherein the stop surface limits rotation of the flip tab upon rotation into the engaged position, and wherein in the engaged position the flip tab is behind and engages the wall to secure the first edge of the panel member in place. 
     
     
       2. The cover extension according to  claim 1 , wherein the flip tab is coupled to the panel member by a threaded fastener having a head retained on the front surface of the panel member and a threaded shank freely inserted through a hole in the panel member, wherein the flip tab has inner threads configured to threadedly engage with the threads of the shank. 
     
     
       3. The cover extension according to  claim 2 , wherein the hole in the panel member is located adjacent the stop surface. 
     
     
       4. The cover extension according to  claim 3 , wherein upon the flip tab being rotated into the engaged position, the mechanical stop prevents further rotation of the flip tab in the same direction, wherein further rotation of the fastener in the same direction results in the flip tab being pulled toward the rear face of the panel member by the threadedly engaged fastener and flip tab to clamp the panel member to the wall. 
     
     
       5. The cover extension according to  claim 1 , wherein the stop surface is formed on an L-shaped bracket that limits rotation of the flip tab between the engaged and unengaged positions. 
     
     
       6. The cover extension according to  claim 1 , wherein a rear face of the bottom flange is continuous with the rear face of the panel member. 
     
     
       7. The cover extension according to  claim 1 , wherein the flange is slightly offset rearwardly. 
     
     
       8. The cover extension according to  claim 1 , wherein stop surface includes two spaced stop surfaces are integral to the panel member and the at least flip tab includes two flip tabs swively coupled to the panel member through two fasteners having heads retained on the front face of the panel member, wherein the two fasteners are configured to be rotated clockwise or anticlockwise. 
     
     
       9. A cover extension for a circuit breaker panel including an electrical box and a panel cover, the cover extension for covering an opening in a wall immediately above or below the circuit breaker panel, the cover extension comprising:
 a panel member having a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge, and a right edge, the panel member having a front face and a rear face; 
 a bottom flange that extends downwards and away from the bottom edge of the curved flange and is configured to fit behind and be engaged by the panel cover so that the panel cover secures the second edge of the panel member in place; 
 a plurality of spaced brackets coupled on the rear face and near the top edge of the panel member, each of the plurality of brackets having an L-shaped profile with an upper leg and a side leg, with the upper leg pointing towards the top edge of the panel member substantially parallel to the left edge of the panel member, and with the side leg pointing towards the right edge of the panel member; 
 a plurality of holes in the panel member each positioned adjacent a respective one of the brackets between the upper leg and the side leg; 
 a plurality of flip tabs, each flip tab swively coupled to the panel member at a respective one of the holes r, wherein the rotation of the flip tab is limited between the upper leg and the side leg of the respective bracket; and 
 a plurality of threaded fasteners each received through a respective one of the holes and engaging a respective one of the flip tabs to rotate the flip tabs to secure the second edge of the panel member in place. 
 
     
     
       10. The circuit breaker panel cover extension according to  claim 9 , wherein the threaded fasteners each have a head retained on the front face of the panel member and a threaded shank freely inserted into the respective hole, the flip tab having inner threads configured to threadedly engage with the threads of the shank, the flip tab extending upward and beyond the top edge of the panel member to secure the top edge of the panel member in place. 
     
     
       11. The circuit breaker panel cover extension according to  claim 10 , wherein clockwise rotation of the threaded fasteners results in vertical movement of the flip tabs closer to the panel member, and anticlockwise rotation of the threaded fasteners results in the flip tabs moving away from the panel member. 
     
     
       12. The circuit breaker panel cover extension according to  claim 11 , wherein the flip tabs can be switched between an upward engaged position by the clockwise rotation of the fastener and a sideward disengaged position by the anticlockwise rotation of the fastener. 
     
     
       13. The circuit breaker panel cover extension according to  claim 12 , wherein upon the flip tab being rotated into the engaged position, the bracket prevents further rotation of the flip tab in the same direction, wherein further rotation of the fastener in the same direction results in the flip tab being pulled toward the rear face of the panel member by the threadedly engaged fastener and flip tab to clamp the panel member to the wall. 
     
     
       14. The circuit breaker panel cover extension according to  claim 9 , wherein the panel member has a bevel that is continuous with a rear face of the bottom flange. 
     
     
       15. A method for covering an opening in a wall immediately above or below a circuit breaker panel, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a circuit breaker panel cover extension comprising:
 a panel member having opposite first and second edges and having a front face and a rear face, 
 
 a flange that extends away from the second edge of the panel member, 
 a plurality of spaced mechanical stops coupled on the rear face and adjacent the top edge of the panel member, each of the plurality of mechanical stops having at least one stop surface, and 
 a plurality of flip tabs each swively coupled to the panel member by a fastener having a head retained on the front face of the panel member and a threaded shank that is inserted through the panel member and threadedly engaged with the flip tab on the rear face of the panel member, wherein the fastener can be rotated clockwise and anticlockwise resulting in corresponding rotation of the flip tab between engaged and unengaged positions, wherein the rotation of the flip tab is limited by the stop surface of the mechanical stop to define the engaged position of the flip tab; 
 positioning the cover extension over the opening in the wall above or below the circuit breaker panel; 
 installing a panel cover of the circuit breaker panel, such that the flange of the cover extension is positioned behind the panel cover and secured in place; and 
 turning each flip tab to the engaged position by rotation of the head of the fastener for clamping the flip tab to the wall. 
 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising adjusting a size of the opening in the wall, such that each mechanical stop is in adjacent to an edge of the wall defining the opening when the cover extension is placed over the opening in the wall and the flange is retained behind the panel cover. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the threaded shank is freely inserted through a hole in the panel member, wherein the flip tab has inner threads configured to threadedly engage with the threads of the shank, and wherein the flip tab has a length such that in the engaged position is extends beyond the first edge of the panel member. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 16 , wherein rotation of the fastener results in corresponding rotation of the flip tab between the engaged and unengaged positions. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 17 , wherein upon the flip tab being rotated into the engaged position, the mechanical stop prevents further rotation of the flip tab in the same direction. 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein further rotation of the fastener in the same direction results in the flip tab being pulled toward the rear face of the panel member by the threadedly engaged fastener and flip tab to clamp the panel member to the wall.